Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Credits American Football for His NBA Success

• The Denver Nuggets acquired Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in a trade this past offseason
• He established himself as one of Denver’s best defenders, leading in steals this season
• He said that playing American football in high school helped him to succeed in the NBA

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s importance to the Denver Nuggets cannot be overstated.

He is the only player on the team with championship experience, having won the title with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.

Caldwell-Pope is also a premier two-way player and he will play a vital role in the Nuggets’ quest to win their first NBA title this year.

Caldwell-Pope impressed in his first season with the Nuggets, averaging 10.8 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game this campaign.

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According to head coach, Michael Malone, Denver acquired Caldwell-Pope from Washington in a trade this past offseason to help the Nuggets win in the playoffs.

KCP contributes in series opener

Caldwell-Pope helped Denver take a 1-0 lead against Minnesota in their best-of-seven series on Sunday night, scoring 15 points, grabbing four rebounds, and dishing out one assist in the Nuggets’ 109-80 win over the Wolves in Game 1, per ESPN.

He shot 3 of 6 from beyond the arc in the series opener.

No one has been more efficient in shooting threes in the Nuggets lineup than the 30-year-old, with Caldwell-Pope knocking down 42.3% of his 3-point attempts in the regular season.

Apart from spacing the floor for Denver with his outside shots, the Nuggets starting shooting guard is also the team’s best defender. He led the team in steals, averaging 1.5 per game this season.

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Football improved Caldwell-Pope's defense

Caldwell-Pope credited his defensive acumen to the experience he gained while playing American football in high school.

He played cornerback and wide receiver at Greenville High School, telling The Denver Gazette that is where his quickness and footwork came from.

Caldwell-Pope talked more about the art of stealing the basketball, saying:

"It's all about timing and just being able to be in the right place at the right time and then knowing when you have the opportunity to go for the steal."

He added that the cornerback skills he learned when he was younger come in handy when he chases his man through traffic, with the Nuggets guard getting key defensive stops by drawing offensive fouls.

Caldwell-Pope will be tested in the series against the Wolves, as his main assignment is to keep Anthony Edwards in check. The 21-year-old was held to just 18 points on 6 of 15 shooting in Game 1.  

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Jokic named MVP Award finalist

Sports Brief recently reported on the NBA MVP Award finalists for the 2022-23 regular season.

Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Joel Embiid made the list for the second year running.

Antetokounmpo and Jokic have won the MVP award twice before and will want to make it three.